Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 15125, Jonas French, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
French Jonas
S 15125
harded
CONTENTS

Dead
Letter to Hon. W. Parmachoo
18th Dec 1840
77
Wellesley
21773
Massachusetts
Jonas French
Maddux in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Gilbert of the Regt commanded by Col. Russell in the Mass line for 20 months
Under Seal
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 10 Dollars 67 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of Oct 1833 and Stock H. Richard. Jon Lynde through Mass
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1835 $166.67 Semi-ant. allowance ending March, - 33.33
$200.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. H. Hudson Clerk.
Book C Vol. 2 Page 26

Jonas French
case —
14063

I William French of Dunstable in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged eighty years do testify and say that in the month of April AD 1775 I entered the service of the United States for eight months and served that time at Cambridge Ms in Capt Ebenezer Bancroft's com- pany - and I further testify, that my brother Jonas French served eight months at the same time and place in Capt Gilbert company in Col Prescott's Regiment William French
Commonwealth of Massachusetts } Middlesex ss } Be it remembered that on this twenty fifth day of September AD 1832 William French personally appeared before me Daniel Richardson a justice of the Peace within and for said County of Middlesex and made oath in due form of law that the above deposition by him subscribed is true - I further certify that I am well acquainted with said William French and that he is a credible witness. -
Daniel Richardson justice of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
ss.
I Isaac Fiske Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County of Middlesex hereby certify that Daniel Richardson whose own proper signature is set to the within Certificate was at the date of said Certificate and now is a Justice of the Peace within said County.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court this fourth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirtythree. I also certify that the papers annexed contain the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the appointment of Jonas French for a pension.
Isaac Fiske the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Middlesex ss. on this 25 th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court before the Honourable Judge of the Court of Probate in and for the County of Middlesex aforesaid Jonas French, a resident of Dunstable in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged seventy five years who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7. A.D. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
That in the year 1775, about the 27 th day of April he enlisted for Eight months - immediately after enlisting went from Dunstable Mts where he then resided to Cambridge Mts, joined in the Company under the command of Capt Samuel Gilbert in Col Wm Prescott's Regiment - in which he continued to duty as a private till the early part of January A.D. 1776 having completed the full term of eight months for which he enlisted - received a written discharge which he has lost - and produces the deposition of Mr French to prove this service
Jonas
Secondly. That a little before the expiration of the aforesaid eight months service he voluntarily enlisted as a private for one year

after said Eight months service was out he went with Maj. Wm Bacon from Cambridge Ms to New York City - The Regiment was there once reviewed by Col. Brewer - Maj. Bacon kept about forty men about him under his own immediate command of which number said French was one - he staid in New- York City till the same was vacated by the American troops - then went to West Chester Ny. - was in the action at Harlem Heights - in another near the stone church in West Chester and was in the Battle at White Plains - had a fever near Fish Kill - and was discharged in that neighbourhood in the month of January A.D. 1777. - having finished the service for which he engaged namely the full term of one year - He thinks he had a written discharge from Col. Knox or Ady Gen. Mifflin - which he has lost and he knows of no one alive who was in said service with him
Jonas French
120n9
20n9
That he was born in Dunstable Ms. on the seventeenth day of August A.D. 1757 That he now lives in said Dunstable and has all his life lived there except while in said service That he is well known to the people of Dunstable and Gynsbrough and particularly to Rev. N. Laurence and Dea John Farwell

He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or an annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of this State. Subscribed to & sworn to the day & year aforesaid — J. P. P. Ray Brook Jonas French
We Nathaniel Lawrence a Clergyman, residing in the Town of Tyngeborough Mass., and John Farwell residing in Tyngeborough aforesaid hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Jonas French who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; — that we believe him to be seventy five years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Nathaniel Lawrence J. P. P. Ray Brook John Farwell
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. — And the Court further certify, that it appears to them that Nathaniel Lawrence who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman residing in Tyngeborough, and that John Farwell who has also signed the same is a resident in Tyngeborough & is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit — J. P. P. Ray Brook
I, Isaac D. Dyer the Register of the Court of Probate in and for the County of Middlesex, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Jonas French for a Pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day & year first above said Isaac D. Dyer Regr.

Jonas French
Mass
Pr at 20 Months
14 06
May 25 1833
P 405
Mr. Bangs's Certificate reg d 22 Augt 1833
14 06
66 67 1/2 133 34 33 33 166 67
D. Richardson
Tynemouth
Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Jonas French  60 of  Mindalset  in the State of Mass  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 75  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     27 April In 17 75 enlisted 8 ... Private Gen. Gilber, Col Prescott   " " 1 " Major Darch Col Brewer  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Battle of Harlem Heights. Stone Church West Chester  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Dunstable Mass 
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary and one living witness
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The papers are not attached agreeably to the regulations. The qualifying Magistrate to the witness is not official, certified
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George Taylor
Examining Clerk.

15125 INVALID.
File No. 15125
James French Brig. Rev. War.
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 139
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Jonas Acord. Maf. 7 June 1832 p. 66. \frac{87}{100}
To what time lost paid
Pension Office 18 Dec 1840
p. 4 th March 1840
OH

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Septemb. 18 th 1833.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the Name of Jonas French is borne on a Roll, of Captain Samuel Gilberts Company, in Colonel William Prescotts Regiment, having served as a private, from May 6 th to August 1 st , 1775. where he was allowed, Two Months & twenty seven days, being stationed at Cambridge.
2 nd days 27
Jonas French claims further service for continuing in the same Regiment, under the same Officers, until the term of eight months, for which he enlisted; was ended.
Edward D. Bangs Secy

16063
Jonas French
It having been lately ascertained that there are Rolls of some of the Mss here in the office of the Secy of the State of Mass. Application must be made to that office for evidence of the claimant's mss
Sept 22 1835
Daniel Richardson Esq
Symsborough
Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Josiah Simms which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yy V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yy VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yy

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? Yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? Yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? Yes
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? Yes
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

Wadsworth Dec 18 1840.
Sir
I enclose two papers in relation to James French a deceased Pensioner. I do not perceive from the date of marriage what is expected by the widow, perhaps some balance which may be due. I however forward them and request such answer as the case requires. Be pleased to return the papers unless it be necessary to retain them -
I am very respectf
Yr Obedient Servt
Wm Purnam
J. L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions